Division Street Sheffield: Sommar Brewery micropub set to take over former Simmonite butchers shop

For years it was a Sheffield city centre butchers shop.

But the former Simmonite's store, on Division Street is now set to be transformed into a micro pub by a craft beer company.

Simmonite closed permanently in 2023, after battling through the pandemic and major changes which have seen shopper numbers fall in Sheffield city centre.

The business, run by Carl Simmonite, bucked a trend by moving out of The Moor Market 10 years ago and into a high profile shop close to Barker’s Pool. It traded seven days a week offering a huge array of hot and cold meat, fish and deli items and beer, and quickly became a favourite with residents and workers heading home.

The shop remained open during the pandemic to ‘help the community’ by providing essential products, according to a Facebook post by Jessica Simmonite in March 2020.

Sheffield Council has now approved the planning application to change it into a pub.

The documents with the application include a proposed floor plan for what is described as Sommar Tap and Lounge, Division Street, Sheffield.

It depicts 12 tables, and a bar area.

Sommar Brewing Company says on its website it was was established in 2020 to provide freshly brewed craft beer on a tapped-to-order basis.

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They added: "Our craft beer brewery based in Birmingham City Centre brews between three to five beers per week which means that when visiting us, you can be assured that our beer is fresh.

"We have craft beer bars in Birmingham, Harborne, Leicester, Solihull and Worcester. Expect freshly brewed craft beer, two for one cocktails, delicious street food and regular live entertainment."

In a statement, agents Worcester Planning Consultancy, which has dealt with the planning application, said: “The applicant is applying for a micro bar, selling real ales and moving away from the typical public house lager drinker. No external changes would be proposed and the proposal would be adjacent to other like minded uses.”

The shop is close to the Yates wine bar on Division Street, on the Barker's Pool end of the street.

Sheffield Council documents confirm the scheme was given the go ahead at the end of February